High Hopes
by percychased
Summary: The brief story of a workaholic Hogwarts student and how, that one time, Scorpius Malfoy got her to laugh. For QL.


_When virtue has slept it will arise more vigorous._

* * *

><p>The moment Rose Nymphadora Weasley stepped into Hogwarts, she knew she was destined for great things.<p>

It was a feeling of pride and accomplishment bubbling up into her chest, blocking her throat and choking her words. This place - _this place _- was something so unbelievable, spectacular, she could hardly believe it.

Well, actually, she could - when Mum had given a guest Arithmancy lecture a few years back, Rose had tagged along and explored the castle with wide-eyed wonder.

On her first day of her first year in her first class, she sat at the front with a straight back and a quill poised over neatly organized parchment. Oh, she was so_ready_ - ready for all of this, whatever this was. Ready to be a real-life adult, not little Rosie or baby Rosie or the third-youngest of all the cousins. If she wanted to get a good job like Mum, she _had _to do well, _had _to try her hardest, get the best grade. Prove herself.

It wasn't until October of her first year when she noticed something was a little bit off about this pattern. Cousin Molly was in her seventh year and taking_eleven _whole NEWT classes and played Quidditch, believe it or not, and also had a boyfriend. Rose didn't have any friends, really. She was _Hermione Granger's daughter, Ron Weasley's daughter, looks just like her mother! _and she was good at all of her classes. But really, did Quidditch and a boyfriend even matter in the long run? It may be the cause of her tears now but when she was graduating at the top of her class, surely she wouldn't even care one bit.

When Rose turned twelve the day after Christmas, she shut herself up in her room and read. Read, read, read. Smarter, better, _the best. _She read her way through fourteen whole books that winter break. When she came back to school, she knew Gamp's law like the back of her hand, OWL level History of Magic, NEWT level Transfiguration elements.

Her mother said it was natural, Rosie was just a bookworm like her mother. She got it from me, Mum laughed. The only thing you read, Ron, is those Quidditch magazines.

She reads more than you ever did, said Dad. And you read a _lot _in school, Hermione. Fact, you still read a lot now.

And I'll never stop. Ron, there's nothing unnatural about reading.

It's a lot for a twelve-year-old.

Rosie's always been mature for her age, even you can't argue that.

Fine, fine.

* * *

><p>Three years later to January of her fourth year. She was fifteen. Lily was fourteen and had a boyfriend - the only reason Rose didn't write home and tell Mum was because Lily blackmailed her, saying <em>you'll write and I'll write and tell your Mum you only got an E on that one test, and she won't like that.<em>

That wasn't necessarily true - Rose knew her mother was supportive in all of the endeavors she took, but an _E _was not good enough. Too low. It had, had _had _to be an O.

* * *

><p>Scorpius Malfoy was six months younger than her and was the second-highest in the class, with the obvious exception of Flying Class.<p>

His complete blase attitude about school confused and irritated her to no end - how could he just _not _seem to care about anything and be so very close to obtaining perfect grades such as herself?

In Herbology, where Professor Longbottom supported inter-House unity, the Slytherins and Gryffindors were paired together for an in-depth assignment on an OWL level plant of their choice.

Rose said they needed to get to work right away. They only had _two weeks _to do this, and they needed to do this right.

He gave her a look she got from her dad that Hugo called the "Rosie's being too serious look."

"You know, I've never seen you laugh," was the completely unexpected thing he said to her.

"This isn't-"

"I'll make you a deal," he interrupted. "We'll complete this project to your level of standards _if _you agree to go to Hogsmeade with me."

"Isn't that blackmailing?"

"Maybe."

Rose was frustrated and annoyed more than she'd ever been before - why did Professor Longbottom pair her with someone so _troublesome?_

Scorpius shifted and smiled at her. "And I know you're going to say yes, because you know Longbottom won't change his mind about the partner thing and we all know how much you want to get perfect on absolutely everything."

* * *

><p>It was scheduled for four hours and four hours only - it was a Saturday and she had scheduled studying to get back to, anyway.<p>

Malfoy was as chipper as usual and Rose didn't know what to say, so the silence hung in between them like a curtain.

"Not that I don't enjoy Hogwarts," Scorpius started, leaning his head back towards the sky. "I just can't wait until we're seventeen and as free as a pixie."

_Free._

Rose had shoved her hands in her pockets, casting her eyes downward as the winter wind and something else she couldn't quite place made her blush.

"Of course, my granddad says that I shouldn't be behind anyone like _you _for grades. I know what that means, I pay attention in History of Magic - well, sometimes, not the point, though - and I don't get it, y'know."

"I know what that means, too," said Rose.

Silence.

"Yeah. Well, seventeen, and I'll be done and out of here. And legal, obviously. Let the firewhisky flow free," he laughed, full well knowing Rose was not the firewhisky type. She shifted uncomfortably and he laughed a little bit louder.

She never believed laughter was contagious until then.

As they walked to Hogsmeade, his shoulder brushed hers. These changes were minimal and unimportant and trivial but they felt a whole lot different than words on a page did._  
><em>

* * *

><p>True to his promise, they completed the assignment with extra energy and vigor later that day and right up until the due date, when Rose was sure, double-sure, triple-sure that it was perfect enough to hand in.<p>

Scorpius approached her right before the beginning of Herbology class.

"It was nice hearing you laugh. You should do it more often."

* * *

><p>an - I will go back and edit this. Chaser 1 for Puddles, using the quote at the top, tear, and blush. For the quote, although minimal, I did try to apply it as much as I could to the personality of Rose - we see her virtue sleeping (however minimally) while she's with Scorpius. *cuddles Scorrose* It's bedtime for me now.

Anyway, thanks. Pointing out glaring grammatical/spelling mistakes would be much appreciated :)


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